Such articulated cable heads, as shown in particular in U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,210 are essentially constituted by a universal joint support which is fixed to one end of an equipment housing, a universal joint head which is extended by an oscillating arm which is fixed to a stop part enclosing an anchor part attached to one end of the line cable, and a universal joint ring which is hinged both to the support and to the head of the universal joint. These various parts which must be of high mechanical quality, as must the equipment housings, are made of a special cuproberyllium alloy which is chosen for its excellent resistance to sea water.
This alloy is expensive because it is little used. Thus attempts have already been made to eliminate it from the housings by making the housings, as described in the above-mentioned patent, in the form of a steel case which is placed inside a tubular shell which is fixed to the articulated cable heads. The steel case withstands the pressure of the surrounding medium; it is waterproof, very rigid and is coated with a sheath of polyethylene which protects it from sea water. The tubular shell is made of a glass-epoxy laminate and withstands the traction forces exerted by the line cable; it comprises a cylinder which is closed by two hollow hemispheres each having a circular opening in the middle thereof with the base of a universal joint support for an articulated head being fixed to the perimeter of said opening.
The universal joint support is still made of cuproberyllium alloy, as are the main parts of the articulated head, namely the universal joint ring and head, and the stop part.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide an articulated head at reduced cost, which additionally makes it possible to simplify the shell of an equipment housing.